It just dawned on me the other day that receiving a publishing contract was only the beginning for me. Now the hard work begins.

Added to my daily creative schedule, I have to make time to investigate promotional opportunities as well as pick up my writing pace.  I need to develop stories and write them at a faster pace than the one I enjoyed as an unpublished writer.

Writers share a common characteristic with other creative individuals. In order to stay relevant you’ve got to continue to produce. Now I know why singers like Beyoncé and Adele often have two or three songs playing on the radio at once or why film stars do two movies a year.  The public can be demanding. Take a nap and they move on to the next best thing waiting to step into your place.

So while I’m excited about my first offer, I can’t sit back and claim victory. I need to work even harder to build my brand, produce a backlist and understand the industry

I used to think that getting the call from a publisher was akin to crossing the finish line. A place where I would jump around, be happy and marvel in my accomplishment.  Of course I did all those things.  But I also realize it was more like the beginning of the race-the sounding shot.  There is no finish line, that place where I slap myself on the back for a job well done and then take a seat..

If I’m lucky and blessed, this is a continuum.  I get do this for as long as I want.  What could be better?